Revolver cartridge clip with a series of irregular steps on one face



Aug. 31, 1965 G. A. Y DlAZ REVOLVER CARTRIDGE CLIP WITH A vSERIES OF IRREGULAR STEPS ON ONE FACE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1964 INVENTOR. GABRIEL ALFONSO Y DIAZ .-1 T TOR NE Y3.

Aug. 31, 1965 G. A. Y DlAZ 3,203,130

REVOLVER CARTRIDGE CLIP WITH A SERIES OF IRREGULAR STEPS ON ONE FACE Filed May 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR. GABRIEL ALFONSO Y omz A TTOR NE Y5:

United States Patent 3,283,130 REVOLVER CARTRIDGE CLIP WITH A SERIES @F IRREGULAR STEPS ON ONE FACE Gabriel Alfonso y Dian, Mahatma Gandhy 19, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Filed May 1, 1964, Ser. No. 364,224 Claims. (Cl. 4289) This invention relates to a clip for loading a plurality of cartridges simultaneously, and more particularly to a clip of this type allowing high-speed manual loading of revolvers having a rotating cylinder.

Many security oificers today use a hand weapon in the form of a revolver. This weapon is characterized by the employment of a rotatable cylinder, normally carrying six cartridges, with the cylinder being pivotably mounted for movement from a first position in alignment with the barrel to a second or open position pivoted away from the barrel for allowing cartridge loading. Cartridge loading is conventionally achieved by manually inserting cartridges one at a time in the respective bores formed within the cylinder. Thus, hand loading is not only tedious, but takes an exorbitant amount of time when compared to the time of firing the six cartridges within the cylinder.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a cartridge clip or loader for rapid loading revolvers of this type in which the time necessary for loading the revolver is greatly reduced over that required for hand loading operations. It is a further object of this invention to provide a cartridge clip for rapid loading of revolvers which is positive in action, and in which the cartridges cannot inadvertently be discharged from the clip through careless hand1ing.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved cartridge clip for rapid loading of revolvers in which the cartridges are held in positive alignment within the clip to insure ease in transfer from the clip to the cylinder of the revolver. Further objects of this invention will be pointed out in the following detailed description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of this invention and the best mode which has been contemplated for applying that principle.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIGURE 1, showing the method of insertion of a cartridge.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view partially in section of the clip positioned adjacent the cylinder of the revolver with the cartridge partially inserted therein.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view similar to the view of FIGURE 3 sh Wing the cartridge clip positioned adjacent the cylinder.

FIGURE 5 is a similar view at the moment of release of the latching means.

FIGURE 6 is a similar view at the moment in which the clip is fully removed from the cartridges after delatching.

In general, the device of the present invention comprises a manually operated cartridge clip for rapid loading of revolvers of the type including a cylinder mounted on the revolver for pivoting away from a position in alignment with the barrel to a second position for loading purposes. The clip includes a disc like base member having one face cut away to form a series of irregular steps. The steps include longitudinal grooves formed therein at right angles to the edges of the steps. The sides of the grooves are undercut to form cartridge retaining lips and a manually operated retaining latch is ice operably positioned on the clip for selectively preventing transverse removal of the cartridges positioned with in the grooves.

Referring to FIGURES l, 2, and 3 of the drawings, there is shown a cartridge clip having its component parts formed of high grade steel or other gun metal which may be blued in much the same manner as the revolver itself. The cartridge clip includes a main section or a disc like base member 10 which is adapted to receive in this form six cartridges 12. The clip includes a fixed finger member 14 formed integrally therewith and extending radially therefrom adjacent upper face 22. The clip further includes a pivotable finger member 69 including a latching element 18 extending transversely of the lower face 19 within a lateral groove 21. The movable finger member is pivoted about pivot pin 34 under bias of compression spring 36. The compression spring is positioned within transverse slot 21 by seating the same within grooves 38 and 40 formed respectively within the movable finger member 16 and the base member 10. latching element 18 terminates in latch detent 2i) which extends upwardly alongside of the base member. The disc like base member It has its upper face 22 cut away to form a series of steps indicated at 2-4 and 26. Face 22. and step 24 terminate abruptly to form edges 27 and 29. A series of longitudinally extending grooves are formed within the face 22, and the steps 24 and 26, the grooves being indicated at 28. The grooves extend away from the edges of the step and the sides and the end of the grooves are undercut at 3% to form cartridge retaining lips 32 with the cartridges so retained, extending at right angles to the face of the clip. Conventional cartridges as at 12 include recesses 42 formed at the bottom of the cartridge and adjacent a radially enlarged rim 44. The rim 44 is received within the undercut portion 30 of groove 28 and is held by the lip 32. Latch 26 extends upwardly so a portion thereof is in front of the lowermost step 26 and acts to prevent sidewise movement of the cartridges from their respective positions within the grooves except as selectively desired by depression of the movable finger member 16.

In operation, cartridges 12 are loaded onto the clip by exerting pressure between the fixed finger member 14 and movable finger member 16. Reference to FIG- URES 4, 5 and 6 disclose the method of releasing cartridges once they are inserted within respective bores 52 of cylinder 54 associated with a revolver (not shown). The method of loading the cartridges is the reverse of the technique shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6. By exerting pressure as indicated by multiple arrows 54 on FIG- URE 4, the movable finger member 16 pivots the latching element 18 counter clockwise about pivot pin 34, thus moving latch detent 2d away from a position in front of step 26. Six cartridges are then inserted within the respective grooves with the outermost cartridges acting to prevent lateral or sidewise movement of the other cartridges within their respective grooves. It is readily apparent, therefore, that the frontal latch detent 2i) acts only to prevent inadvertent removal of the cartridges from the clip. Once latch 26) pivots away from a position where the end of this latch is below the plane defined by step 26, all the cartridges may be removed. Reference to FIGURES 5 and 6 show the method of removing or sliding the clip sidewise as indicated by arrows 56 upon release of the retaining latch and after the cartridges have been partially inserted within cylinder 50. After removal of the clip, the cartridges are fully seated in the cylinder by movement in a direction indicated by arrow 60.

While the device shown is provided with grooves allowing circumferential positioning of six cartridges within the clip, the number of cartridges may vary, depending upon revolver cylinder configurations. The six cartridge arrangement is, of course, the one most conventional. While the materials have been described as comprising high grade steel, other materials may be used without departing from the scope of the invention as long as the materials have sufficient rigidity.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and detail of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge clip for rapid loading of revolvers of the type including a cylinder mounted on said revolver for pivoting away from a first position with one bore in alignment with the barrel to a second position allowing loading, said clip comprising: a disc like base member having opposed faces with one face cut away to form a series of irregular steps, said steps including grooves formed therein at right angles to the edges of said steps, the sides of said grooves being undercut to form cartridge retaining lips and releasable latch means operably positioned on said clip for selectively preventing transverse removal of cartridges positioned within said grooves.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said grooves are rounded at their inner ends and said grooves are undercut fully at both the rear and sides to insure proper positioning of said cartridges within said grooves.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said releasable latch means comprises a movable finger member pivotably mounted on said base member, said finger member further including a latching element extending transversely of the opposite face, parallel with said grooves and having a latch detent extending upwardly, adjacent the side of said base member and in front of said lowermost step, and means for biasing said latch detent member in latching position but allowing movement of said latch detent to a position spaced from said lower step by manual depression of said movable finger member against said biasing means.

4. A cartridge clip for rapid loading of revolvers of the type including a cylinder mounted on said revolver for pivoting away from a position with one bore in alignment with the barrel to a second position allowing cartridge loading of the cylinder, comprising: a disc like base member including opposed faces and a fixed finger member extending radially therefrom, said base member having one face cut away to form a series of irregular steps, said steps having cartridge receiving grooves formed therein at right angles to the edges of said steps, the sides and inner end of said grooves being undercut to form cartridge retaining lips thereby allowing cartridges to be normally slid sidewise into engagement with said clip, said clip further including a movable finger member pivotally mounted thereon on the opposite face of said disc and in alignment with said fixed finger member, said movable finger member including a latching element extending across said opposite face, in detenting relation to cartridges held in said grooves, a biasing spring positioned between said finger members and acting to normally bias said latching element in detent position, whereby manual pivoting of said movable finger member towards said fixed finger member against said spring bias acts to release said latching element from detent position.

5. A cartridge clip for rapid loading of revolvers of the type including a cylinder mounted on said revolver for pivoting away from a position with one bore in alignment with the barrel to a second position allowing cartridge loading of the cylinder, said clip comprising: a disc-like base member including opposed faces, a fixed finger member extending radially away from said disc-like base member having an outer surface coplanar with one of said faces, said one face of said base member being cut away to form a series of irregular steps in depending fashion away from said radially extending, fixed finger member, said steps having ctartridge receiving grooves formed therein at right angles to the edges of said steps, the sides and inner ends of said grooves being undercut to form cartridge retaining lips thereby allowing cartridges to be normally slid sideways into engagement with said clip, a groove formed within the opposite face with the longitudinal axis of said groove and said fixed finger member being coaligned, a movable finger member having a contact surface including a longitudinally extending latching element and a latch detent extending at right angles thereto at the end of said latching element opposite the movable finger member contact surface, means for pivotably mounting said latching element within said groove with said latching detent lying adjacent the end of the lowest step and a biasing spring poistioned between said finger members and acting to normally bias said latching detent in cartridge retaining position, whereby manual pivoting of said movable finger member toward said fixed finger member against said spring bias acts to remove said latching detent from cartridge retaining position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,971,526 8/34 Kempf 48-89 2,142,918 1/39 Rice 4289 2,620,584 12/52 Edmands 4289 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CARTRIDGE CLIP FOR RAPID LOADING OF REVOLVERS OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A CYLINDER MOUNTED ON SAID REVOLVER FOR PIVOTIN AWAY FROM A FIRST POSITION WITH ONE BORE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE BARREL TO A SECOND POSITION ALLOWIN LOADING SAID CLIP COMPRISING: A DISC LIKE BASE MEMBER HAVING OPPOSED FACES WITH ONE FAC CUT AWAY FORM A SERIES OF IRREGUALAR STEPS, SAID STEPS INCLUDING GROOVES FORMED THEREIN AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE EDGES OF SAID STEPS, THE SIDES OF SAID GROOVES BEING UNDERCUT TO FORM CARTRIDGE RETAINING LISP AND RELEASABLE LATCH MEANS OPERABLY POSIITONED ON SAID CLIP FOR SELECTIVELY PREVENTING TRANSVERSE REMOVAL OF CARTRIDGES POSITIONED WITHIN SAID GROOVES. 